Inside Chiropractic: A Patient's Guide (Consumer Health Library) (Hardcover)

by Samuel Homola (Author), Stephen Barrett (Editor) "I have practiced chiropractic full-time for forty-three years..." (more)
Key Phrases: American Chiropractic Association, United States, Innate Intelligence (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"An excellent treatise on the current status of chiropractic." - L A Chotkowski, M.D., Amazon.com reader review

Product Description
While chiropractic can provide quality treatment for certain types of back and neck pains and related problems, many health-industry professionals and patients are under the impression that the practice can be used as a method for restoring and maintaining overall health. "Inside Chiropractic" is a clearly presented, practical guide that explores the facts and falsehoods of chiropractic from the view of a doctor with more than forty years of experience in the field-a noted authority on the safe use of chiropractic to treat physical pain. Dr Samuel Homola unleashes a startling critique of the well-established belief that chiropractic can treat infection and disease. Citing the shaky opinions and anecdotal evidence that support chiropractic treatments for a wide range of illnesses, Dr Homola states, 'Many chiropractors believe that correction of mis-aligned vertebrae can restore health and that regular spinal adjustments are essential for maintaining health. There is no definitive, scientific evidence to support such a theory.' "Inside Chiropractic" provides essential information to consumers, physicians, insurance carriers, and all concerned with the field on the origins of chiropractic, doctor education, choosing a good chiropractor, 'sense and nonsense' in the practice, alternative healing, problems and questions that remain in chiropractic, and more.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1 edition (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573926981
• ISBN-13: 978-1573926980
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #907,386 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for Those Contemplating Chiropractic, January 3, 2000

By	Lauren E. Pomerantz (Montclair, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a well reasoned and rational discussion of the origin of chiropractic, its belief system, its practices, where it is irrational, where it is contraindicated, and where it can actually do some good.

The use of case studies is particularly well thought out. People like to read case studies. The application of theories is always more interesting than the theories themselves. Examples of instances where chiropractic manipulation was able to provide real relief for people suffering from cramped muscles, the effects of poor posture, and locked joints was useful. The cases where Dr. Homola did not treat were also useful. For example, one woman came to him for manipulation for pain. In taking her history he discovered she had had cancer. He referred her to her physician who passed her along to an oncologist, who confirmed that her cancer had metastasized. How a competent chiropractor can help when he recognizes the limits of his ability and what is within and outside his scope of practice will be useful to those contemplating chiropractic.

Dr. Homola spent his life trying to reform chiropractic from the inside out. He suffered greatly for it. Besides the disparaging comments from his colleagues and the isolation he must have felt, I'm sure he suffered financially. (Frankly, I'm sick of hearing how the medical community is trying to keep alternative medicine out because they are greedily hogging the people's money. Dr. Homola is an example of how true the reverse is. It is almost always easier to earn money dishonestly than honestly.)

Dr. Homola has integrity, though, and his book should be required reading for those contemplating a visit to a chiropractor and especially anyone considering becoming a chiropractor.

20 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comments by John Campo, DC, DABQAURP, Tampa, FL, June 4, 2000

By	"healthfriend" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Dr. Homola's book entitled "Inside Chiropractic - A Patient's Guide". I find that Dr. Homola has performed an enormous job at researching a vast array of chiropractic literature, and presenting such in a consumer oriented format.

I have analyzed the bibliography and find it to be extremely extensive, particulary with references to many of the original chiropractic writings. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the historical sections exposing the old time quackery. It was like something out of the "Wild West." Many chiropractors, at this point in time, still adhere to these and other types of nonsense practices, as I've seen presented in many of the current chiropractic trade journals.

I find that Dr. Homola has very eloquently presented an excellent overview of the chiropractic profession, in this comprehensively written book for the consumer.

30 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Chiropractors are highly educated...., January 3, 2000

By A Customer

Doctors of Chiropractic are very well educated on the human body and its functions. In a comparison between chiropractic and medical education, DCs receive an average of 4,800 hours of education with more than 2,000 of those devoted to that "complex" or "vital" structure, (i.e. the spine), while MDs receive an average of 4,670 hours of education with FAR LESS training on the spine and its intricacies. Moreover, on the average, DCs receive almost twice the number of hours of education in the areas of Anatomy/Embryology and Physiology and are very comparable in other areas such as Microbiology, Pathology, and Neurology. It's also a well documented fact that medical students get virtually no training in nutrition, which we all know is "key" to good health. As far as "statistically" being "unable to pass the same 'rigorous' tests which are basic to medical training.." is concerned, consider the fact that a BASIC Musculoskeletal exam, at least to Chiropractors, which should have been a basic exam for the medical profession as well, was administered to 85 first-year medical & surgery residents at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. They were all graduates of 37 medical schools. The exam consisted of 25 "basic" questions validated by 124 orthopedic chairpersons. Not surprisingly, 82% of them failed to get a passing score with an average score of 59.6%(the passing score to demonstrate basic competency is 73%). Of the ones who passed, the highest score was 86%. Eight chief residents also took the exam to further establish its validity, and they all passed with a mean of 98.5%. The results of this study were published in the Jounal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Oct. 1998. (By the way, this same test was administered to Chiropractic graduates with well over 90% passing the exam.) If you want to learn more about Chiropractic as well as the medical field, I suggest reading: Under the Influence of Modern Medicine by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C.; Chiropractic First by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C.; and Confessions of a Medical Heretic by Robert Mendelsohn, M.D. These books provide well-documented facts that everyone should be aware of in order to avoid dangerous medical mishaps and lead a life of optimum health.